


Walking in a Winter Wonderland

by Melanie_Athene



Category: The Professionals
Genre: Community: discoveredinalj, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-15 00:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5764567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melanie_Athene/pseuds/Melanie_Athene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The storm struck without warning, whipping through the city with frightening intensity and bringing traffic to a crawl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Walking in a Winter Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 5 of Discoveredinalj's "Discovered in the Holly and the Ivy" Challenge, 2015. My prompt was "trees".

The storm struck without warning, whipping through the city with frightening intensity and bringing traffic to a crawl. Within an hour, lazy flakes replaced the storm’s wrath. By midnight, snow had turned to freezing rain, leaving trees glazed with ice, their branches bent beneath the unaccustomed weight. The smaller ones drooped almost to the ground, seemingly as dejected as the final few pedestrians who were making their slow way home – including two disgruntled CI5 operatives who had taken a sharp look at road conditions and wisely decided to hoof it.

“My place is closer,” Bodie grumbled, stuffing his hands deeper into his jacket pockets. The temperature had dropped considerably in the last hour, and what had seemed good enough for a quick surveillance job was now painfully inadequate.

“The heater works better in mine,” Doyle countered, pulling his woollen cap a little lower on his ears.

“I’ve got food in.”

“So have I.”

“I mean _real_ food, Ray. Not that vapid rabbit chow you like. Leftover Vindaloo that I can pop in the oven. A bit of rice and some veggies, a glass of wine, _et voilà!_ A meal fit for a king.”

“But is it enough for _two_ kings?” Doyle asked, rightfully suspicious of his partner’s largesse. The last time Bodie had offered him a meal, he had ended up with one banger and a single runny egg – not a feast by any stretch of the imagination.

Before Bodie could reply, a sudden cracking sound came from just behind them, making the two men spin around to face the source of the noise. Almost at once, they realized there was no need for alarm: an overladen branch had simply given up the ghost and gone crashing to the ground. Of course, that realization did not slow their momentum in the slightest.

Bodie and Doyle went skittering across the ice, their feet scrambling for purchase, their arms wildly flailing, desperately trying to avoid a fall. Instinctively, they grabbed hold of each other, seeking to regain their equilibrium. Unfortunately, gravity won out over preserving dignity and they found themselves lying flat on their backs, staring up at a lacework of ice. Crystals sparkled as they caught the streetlights, and the chittering sound a breeze caused as it passed through frozen branches made it seem as if the trees were sniggering at them both.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” Doyle observed, after a few moments of silent contemplation.

Bodie snorted, and turned his head to face his obviously insane partner. But whatever smart retort he had planned to make died before the words left his lips.

Doyle’s cheeks were flushed pink from the cold. His stupid hat had somehow disappeared – probably it was lumped up under the crazy sod – and a halo of auburn curls spilled out over his twisted scarf. Sleet had capriciously turned back into snow, and thick lashes blinked away melting flakes as Doyle stared into the night sky.

“Beautiful,” Bodie replied.

Something in his tone drew Doyle’s gaze and held it captive. 

Something in the air sparked between them. Something that had been quietly building for a long, long time.

“Your place is closer,” Doyle said.

Bodie scrambled awkwardly to his feet. "Come on then, Sunshine. What are you waiting for, Christmas?"

Doyle laughed, and took the hand Bodie offered.

And if they walked a little closer, fingers woven together and shoulders comfortably bumping as they continued on their way, no one was there to see. Only the trees bore witness to their mingled breaths rising above their heads in a heart-shaped cloud. And they kept the secret to themselves.


End file.
